crainholio

iTrader: (2)

You may want to check tightness on the trans bellhousing bolts also while you're under there.

Clean threads, Loctite blue, and an accurate torque wrench FTW.

JAX04

iTrader: (17)

Yes, we absolutley used Loctite on the bolts. Used red though, cant remember my reasoning behind it, but we used Red.

crainholio

iTrader: (2)

Red is good stuff, just a pain at removal time. I only use it on bolts I can get to w/ an impact gun.

Tally TransAm

iTrader: (17)

im going with this

98z-28redcamaro

iTrader: (3)

same with me....only bc it sounds louder from underneath

poltergeist 02

iTrader: (65)

loose or cracked flexplate for sure!!! the tapping noise is way more pronounced from the underside of the car. way to loud to be valve train and way to fast to be a rod bearing. pull the trans for safety sake! while your in there just replace it with an sfi flexplate.

JAX04

iTrader: (17)

Def guys, thanks for the input, im gonna snag up some more jack stands and get this sucker in the air. Just didnt have time today.

Ill def let you all know what i find, ill take pics too. Thanks for all the good advice guys. Im really hoping its what we are leaning towards. I cant get anything on the crank without disassembling the turbo kit and front end due to my **** poor design putting the crossover right in front of the crank pulley.

Ill get at her though, again, thanks for all the advice guys!

JAX04

iTrader: (17)

OK! UPDATE TIME!

I have NOT got a chance to pull the trans, however, i needed to make some progress for my own sanity.

I will have help in the morning removing the trans, so no big deal.

HOWEVER! I decided for the hell of it after checking the torque converter bolts and verifying that they are infact all tight, that i would simply get started on the removal

SO. I took them all out, ODDLY enough.

With ever single turn of the wrench i could feel pressure against the bolt head and hear the flywheel changing form, and pushing against me. every single turn of the wrench.

SO, i decided for the hell of it, with the torque converter unbolted and the trans still in the car, i would start the engine. since now it was not connected to anything at all.

Well, i fired her up and BLAM> Not a single noise other then sweet sweet purring like a kitten So i guess we can deduce from this, its more then likely a flexplate issue and not my poor stock bottom end 6.0 that has been used and abused

speedtigger

iTrader: (16)

That is great news. Glad you dodged a bullet.

JAX04

iTrader: (17)

Thanks, atleast for the moment we've dodged a bullet, lol. I hope i dont get in their and find something terribly wrong.

crainholio

iTrader: (2)

Flywheels tend to crack when the bolts aren't tightened precisely, eg. one is tighter than the others. If you used a torque wrench last time, you might have it checked for calibration accuracy. If no torque wrench, consider the value of using one. AutoZone has them in their loaner program.

JAX04

iTrader: (17)

I completley under stand the importance, although, at that time, i guess i was being ignorant. Ive got a nice torque wrench that i get recalibrated every couple years. Even if i dont use it that much.

I didnt use one on the flywheel bolts. Who knows why. But its my own fault if thats the problem. My help hasnt shown up yet, so i havent got the trans pulled. SHould be happening in a couple hours.

be sure to check back here, as i will post pics of the flywheel or whatever the problem ends up being. I have not decided what the next route im going to take is. Really depends on my mood when its time to fix it. Im about over the GTO anyway. This could have very well been the Icing on the cake for me.

Not that im going to let something like this get me down, but ive got the RX7 now and want to work on it. Strongly thinking its time to retire the GTO back to a driver car, just not sure

Whiteaw57

iTrader: (2)

Glad you dodged a spun rod bearing. sadly my buddies stock bottom end tvs 1900 Head cam build spun one a mile from the dyno after being tuned. Good luck with it, hope you keep the GTO though

crainholio

iTrader: (2)

Just chalk it up as a lesson learned and get 'er fixed. You don't even have to pull the trans completely, just seat the converter into the trans gently to get it out of the way and pull the trans back enough to access the flywheel bolts.

JAX04

iTrader: (17)

LOLZ, crain, Trans is on the ground, Flexplate is in my sink, i had to wash it up where i thought the issue was. Check it out, this crack goes all the way through, and wraps down around 2 bolt holes. I hope this is the problem.

Looks like its time for an upgrade.

We arent sure how much power we are putting through this, but its a 6.0 with a tc78 and around 12lbs of boost. Stock Flex, not gonna happen again, time for a SFI approved upgrade.

RezinTexas

good job on the find.

always nice when the root cause is discovered.

99SSJarhead

iTrader: (2)

Yeah, I found when swapping my a4 for an m6 that I nearly had a bolt fully backed out of the torque converter. I am so glad I was doing that swap because I'd hate to have seen that carnage if I'd never of been in there.

WS.SIX

iTrader: (3)

This is what it would have looked like if you didnt catch it in time 99SSJarhead

JAX04

iTrader: (17)

Wow man, Im certainly glad i didnt take it apart to find that. Or had a piece come through the floor board, etc.

poltergeist 02

iTrader: (65)

glad you got it figured out man.